Breaking the Peony
by Aldley
Summary: Welcome to Erylbridge Academy, where only the wealthy and elite are accepted and the Fatal Four- Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Shuichi- run the school. At least that's how it was until the school accepted middle-class Botan, who finds herself being their main target! How will she survive to achieve her dreams amidst the lies and backstabbing of the elite? Help by read/critique/review
1. Meeting the Fatal Four

Meeting The Fatal Four

Erylbridge Academy is named after it's founder, Cael Erylbridge, and does not let down to the sophistication, riches, and poise that the man held through his entire life. It is, after all, a school built for the wealthy, elite, and priveledged. For years it's gates have opened to produce some of the best artists, musicians, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and even many more faces that the city's people look upon in admiration when they pick up their Sunday newpapers.

It stands tall with it's aged brick walls, expertly tended gardens, and many arenas of equipment for the vast sports they allow. Horses, pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, and the like are here to suit the many needs and interests for the students. Their curriculums are much more slack than that of public education as these students have the much harsher pressure of upholding their family name, rather than the pathetic worries of getting scolded by a parent for a bad grade. There was much more at stake here.

But even amongst the rich there is a much deeper ranking system that the more humbly paid families could not understand. There were no students that were feared and respected so much as the Fatal Four. They ruled the halls, kept the highest grades, had the power to condemn others to the status of social leper, and even took their own classes together in a separate classroom with the most educated and profound professors.

Ringleader of the Fatal Four was none other than Yusuke Urameshi. He was someone you never wanted to cross. It was no secret that his mother married the most respected and powerful CEO's of the country, but the man took a liking to the trouble maker like he was blood, rather than strictly a burden from marriage. The young man was set up to take the entire company by the time he graduated, which earned a lot of ass-kissing from others in the school- that pissed him off and led to many pranks and charades on them. He hated people like that, so he needed to make the 'place a bit more bearable', as he'd say.

Next to fear was Kuwabara Kazuma. He didn't have a family that was even ¼ as powerful as Urameshi, but there was a good fire in the carrot-top that kept him at the delinquint's side. They were practically inseperable since Yusuke had first met him on their Freshman year at Erylbridge. Kuwabara wasn't known for bringing on the pain, but he encouraged his best friend, which was just as bad in the eye's of their prey.

Hiei was the quiet one. Set up to take the company of his father, which was easily ranked third for the country, he had no other focus than to reach that goal. School, the students that fawned to be his friend or lover- they meant nothing. This little gang was just a means for the young man to keep people scared and away from him in order to achieve his goal and gocus on getting there.

Lastly, but hardly the least anticipated, was Shuichi Minamino. He was by far the most hypnotizingly gorgeous, and certainly the most calculating and cruel, of the four. Before he'd come to Erylbridge it was a known fact he'd had his hair dyed white and gone by the name of Kurama and ran just as wild as Urameshi. There was even some debate that Kurama, at the time, could have been the leader of the Fatal Four, but something happened. He came to school Freshman year with his hair- still long, but cut and layered- and dyed back to red; Shuichi was much calmer and more studious than he'd ever been. The true reason was unknown but didn't stop the rumors from flying- some say the responsibility of being second only to the Urameshi's finally kicked in, others say it was because of a wicked beating from his mother. Either way, the storm of girls that fawned over the young man didn't slow.

It only got crazier. For all of them, really.

This, however, is not a story about the terrors of the Fatal Four, but more about the story of a young girl of middle class standing who entered the gates of Erylbridge as a student. It was completely unheard of and set aflame rumors of how it was a pitty case- as they surely could not have paid to bribe entrance- or maybe the pressure from the press on the school's harsh standards had finally made them buckle, but the worst rumor by far was the one where they assumed her mother must have slept with the principle. He was a large, mustached, and odd man so it was easily imagined by the students.

Botan, however, did not get in on either of these standards of rumors. She had tested incredibly high for the entrance exam and had written a letter, so incredibly moving and lyrical in her desire to attend the prestigeous school to become a children's doctor and help shape the future for these younger children in a positive manner. This, along with the positive line of press surely to follow, was more than enough reason for the principle to accept her through the gates faster than he could realize that there was still coffee clinging to the ends of his facial hair- which had dirtied her beautiful letter to the point that the schoolboard had to take it from him that they should let the poor girl attend.

It was decided that the school would pay for one of each uniform- one for winter, physical sports, her medical wear for class, and then the skirt, stockings, and short sleeved top with a bow at the neck for standard wear. She would, however, have to pay for her own uniform if any of these she'd been given needed repairing. They expected great things from the young woman, so there was hardly any harm in investing these things.

When her first day of school had finally arrived, her mother was away on business- per usual- so she had taken the bus to drop her off at the stop in front of Erylbridge's large, iron gates. She stepped off the bus in the standard uniform of dark navy and maroon- the only student to get off the bus- and her leather bag was properly worn on both shoulders, and her ponytail swayed side to side as she walked to the entrance.

Sneers of knowing looks by female students, and laughter of the young men, made her feel a bit selfconcious as she made her way passed the gates. From the hardly contained gossip, Botan established quickly that it was horrifying that a student of Erylbridge had taken the _bus_. Lord, had these people really gone that far off their rocker? She would think. But, unknown to her, usually the bus skipped that stop altogether, as not even the janitors would be caught dead taking it to the school.

The harshly whispered slurs and social condemnings went ignored when Botan stopped in complete awe of the school's impressive architecture. There was a large fountain of angels and voluptuous forms that could be seen through the current of water that showered over them, then the bushes were shaped along the cemented walkways to absolute perfection and were complimented by the most beautiful of flowers. It truly was incredible. And all at once the feelings of happiness upon acceptance into this school hit her, almost to the point of tears, but she wouldn't dare cry- that would only spark more of this nastiness from the other students.

After supressing the incredible urge to stop and enjoy all of the general splendor of the school, Botan had finally made it to the main building- where all of the classrooms were located. It was a two story building with a large lobby area with marbled floors, and it was 7:50 AM where another 'fact' of the school, ignorant to the young woman, was about to unfold. It was at this time that the Fatal Four would be entering the lobby and girls crowded in a clumped line on either side of the door, some of them holding letters, others chocolates, and others ready to profess their affections.

"Oomph- hey, watch out!" Botan tried to hold onto her bag and quickly get her paper with her class schedule and school map on it, but the crowds of girls became livley over something she couldn't see. Hugging her belongings to her chest, the bluenette wiggled her way into the space between the two crowded lines of girls and heaved a relieved sigh. Shaking her head, she put her leather backpack onto her back and then held the lifesaving paper in both hands and located her first classroom on it. "Bingo!"

A solid, hard shoulder hit against hers roughly almost knocking her to the floor. Thankfully she caught her balance and turned to glare at the grease combed young man who returned the harshness of her stare- the room seemed to have emptied of all the screams and love confessions, turning to whispers and awed silence.

"Ow! What was that for?!" She nursed her shoulder with a few rubs.

Much to the crowd's disappointment, as they'd hoped for a fight, Yusuke Urameshi recognized the unwealthy student immdeiately and continued past her, the rest of his crew following without even so much as a glance. Kuwabara even went so far as to continue loudly relaying a story of how he'd pummeled some punks from a nearby public school that despised Erylbridge's students.

Who the hell did this guy and his buddies think they were? Botan huffed and straightened the straps on her bag as the sea of female students started to get noisy again. Her blood boiled over as the seconds passed. "I believe I was talking to you! Who do you think you are?!"

For as sure as she'd felt in that moment with her anger to fuel her, suddenly she felt as timid as a mouse when four pairs of eyes fell on her as the Fatal Four all turned around. Only a second seemed to pass by before Urameshi broke his way through and marched right up to her. Botan gulped thickly, but noticed that the spikey haired male- Hiei- had already lost interest, the orange haired brute had his fists up in anticipation of seeing what their leader would do, and the redhead... Was he looking almost sorry for her?

For whatever reason, it captivated her how those green eyes seemed almost sorrowful in general-

"Y'know, for a nobody you're pretty loud. It's annoying as hell." Yusuke snarled at her, using his height to loom over her and make her feel even more tiny than usual. Suddenly the redhead was hardly the point of focus.

"I-..." Where had her vocabulary gone all the sudden? Why wasn't anyone helping her? Why had she spoken up...

"What? Now you don't have any words to share?" He yelled. "And I was kinda looking forward to it too. Oh well." His chocolate gaze looked over to a girl with a nearby cupcake and he smirked. Botan stood frozen, completely helpless as her candy pink eyes only watched as he picked the cupcake up and licked some of the icing off.

"You were going to give this to me?" He asked the girl- she flushed and nodded quickly. "It tastes terrible. Here, you have it." Before the blue haired girl could even move he'd squished the desert- along with that poor admirer's hopes- upon Botan's head.

She just stood in shock, watching the crowd of girls chuckle and head off to their classes, the boys even came by to laugh, but Yusuke slowly just walked away returning to his group. His bestfriend slapped him on the back in congratulations, while the shortest one merely said 'hn', and the redhead glanced at her neautrally a moment more before the four of them headed off to their private classroom.

With shaking hands, Botan removed the cupcake from her hair and calmly walked to the bathroom- her head held high. Nobody would follow her, of course, because before she'd even come her income had marked her a leper. Once she was inside and washed the icing from her long, blue hair and fixed it up into a ponytail once more, tears spilled from her eyes. It was hard to be new. But to be new, a target, and attacked on the first day?

It felt to be too much.

Five minutes passed after the bell sounded and she looked at herself in the mirror. Giving herself a look of determination, Botan thought of her single-mother being so proud of her and of the future children she could help once she'd graduated from this beautiful and terrible place. It was worth it- just a bit of hell to go through for a lifetime of happiness and helping others.

She could do this. She _had _to!

Walking into her class ten minutes late was a bit nervewracking, what with being welcomed with giggles from classmates and the hard stare from a teacher. Botan apologized and went to an empty seat that was in the far right corner next to a brunette, who seemed much more interested in taking down the notes on the board than the petty gossip and laughter going on about her. It was a relief, to say the least.

Sitting down she got out her text, notebook, and a pen to catch up with her own note taking when she felt the brown haired girl's eyes on her. Cautiously, Botan looked over and was met with a smile.

"Hi, there," she whispered," my name's Keiko." The smile suddenly turned to a look of sympathy. "Heard you had a rough start this morning..."

"Yeah..." Botan treaded carefully, not entirely sure in whether she could trust anyone here. Deep down she prayed so desperately that this could be her ticket to at least just one friend in this awful place.

"Yeah, the Fatal Four can be tricky, especially Yusuke."

Botan assumed Yusuke was the one who'd smushed the food into her hair. "Fatal Four?"

"Yeah, they've been together pretty much since our Freshman Year here. They're not too bad if you stay off their radar, but once they notice you... Well." Keiko shrugged her shoulders knowing Botan had already seen first-hand what being 'on the radar' could mean. It was then that

Botan bit her lip and looked to the expo-board filled with notes for a moment before turning back to her prospective friend. "So... are they all like that, or...?" She could tell Keiko seemed a bit confused. "I just... that Shuichi seemed to be almost, I don't know... gentle?"

The brunette's eyes narrowed a bit. "Don't let any of them fool you, they're all terrible. Shuichi especially, because-"

"Girls!"

Their heads popped up with widened eyes as the teacher shouted at them. He was a tall, thin man but scary and strict nonetheless. "If we're done talking here, I'd like to teach the class."

"Yes, sir..." Botan and Keiko said in unision before laughing- a silent seal to their friendship that made the bluehaired girl finally feel less alone. It was a small comfort to a terrible morning.

Classes were uneventful and, thanks to their private classes, Botan was assured to not run into any of the Fatal Four. Lunch was something she did look forward to, getting to sit with Keiko and all- who, for whatever reason, sat by herself. Botan was the only girl who'd packed her lunch, as the other students dined on the fine cuisine here- which they complained was bland. How ungrateful! But it still eluded her why her friend sat by her lonesome... Maybe people here shunned the kind, no matter their wealth.

What a shame.

After lunch came physical education- which was a joke compared to public schools, as participation was optional. Botan still felt the need to prove her presence here to the principal and completed running four laps for her mile around the running track and then excused herself to sit down by a large oak on the side of the field.

With a sigh she leaned against the tree and slid down, not minding the harsh bumpy bark of the tree as they seemed nothing in comparison to the terrible pain that stress from being here caused her. How on earth did the teachers and administrators let these students continue behaving like this? They weren't only cruel to her, she noticed, but to each other with their main wepaon of choice being gossip and nasty rumors. Botan guessed it was the money that kept the faculty silent- God forbid there be bad press for the family companies or for the school.

A soft snore from the other side of the tree made her jump slightly. She had never been so jumpy before in her life, but 'tis the pain of being on the end of your rope on the first day. What Botan considered to be slow, cautious crawling, she peered around the thick trunk to see none other than red-rose hair.

Shuichi?! Why on earth would he be sleeping here?! Her breath hitched as she remembered Keiko's warnings about how this beautifully deceiving young man was more than capable of taking Urameshi's place in aspects of cruelty...

"I see you're intending on ruining my nap today, as well. Hm?" His voice was soft, like velvet, but it hardly put her at ease.

"Oh-! I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was over here and I just needed a rest from running so..."

His chuckle threw Botan off and he greeted her by opening one forest green eye. It hardly looked sorrowful now. No, it held a playful edge that suddenly made her uneasy. "Not a public speaker, I assume."

"...No."

He gave a laughter rush of air through his nose before smiling, and it seemed he was going to speak when a few girls noticed him by the tree and came running over his way. Suddenly his look turned rather bored, as it had looked that morning. "Now you've ruined my hiding spot." Shuichi stood and straightened his gym uniform, not even bothering to look down at the bluenette. "I suppose that means I'll have to punish you in some way- can't have a reputation go down, now can we? Until next time, Miss Botan."

The world seemed to move in slow motion as the Fatal Four member walked across the track field and was swarmed by girls; her gut pinched. He knew her name. She was on the radar, which was exactly where Keiko- and her gut- told her she _didn't_ want to be.

Botan knew the academics were going to be challenging, but never had she even thought anyone would pay attention to her enough to make her life miserable. How would she ever survive here?


	2. The Lesser of Evils?

The Lesser of Evils?

Doors to the final class of the day flew open as Botan hurried through them just before the bell rang. She'd spent far too much time after gym trying to soak under the hot water to shake the shivers Shuichi- Kurama?- whatever the redhead went by! Being one on one with him gave her goosebumps and she never wanted to experience that fear again.

Choosing to sit next to Keiko, as she intended to in every class they had together, the bluenette slumped forward in her seat and sighed.

"Rough time in gym?" Her friend smiled sympathetically.

"Oh, Keiko, you have _no_ idea! How do people even function here with those... those brutes!" Botan shook her head in disgust.

"Really? I'd heard from other girls you'd put the moves on Shuichi, but I figured it was hardly the case. The fangirls for those boys are just as ruthless as they are." Before the teacher could gather his notes together to begin class, the brunette took out a pink designed post-it note, wrote something on it, and handed it to her newest friend. "Here. I don't normally hand out my IM, but you seem about the only normal girl here."

Botan's eyes practically watered up- how lucky to have at least _one_ good soul in this terrible place! "Thank you, Keiko. Really..."

"Miss Botan!" A harsh, masculine voice belted at her, causing the girl to shrink back into her seat. "Since you like to talk so much during class and waste _my_ time, perhaps you can help clean up the classroom after school so I can waste some of _yours_."

_Way to stay off the radar! _She scolded herself.

* * *

Being punished for talking meant she and Keiko would have to raincheck for hanging out after school. Oddly enough, apparently the middle-class student wasn't just the first of her kind to _attend_ Erylbridge Academy, oh no, she was MUCH more accomplished than that. Today she'd also set aside the prize of being the first student poor enough to where the teacher could punish her and keep her after school.

It wasn't so bad though, if you'd asked Botan. She'd only been told to wipe down the expo-board, wiped down the desks, and then clean the windows. Then again, maybe that was hell for any part of this yuppy student body- Keiko excluded, of course- to ever lift a finger to do work of their own. Cleaning had also given her time to overthink the Fatal Four, the rumors that swirled around about her, and meeting with that Shuichi!

Suddenly her fear had turned to great anger, as though she was sure that if she'd never met them that somehow this punishment could have been avoided.

Storming over to grab her bag by the classroom door, she gave a fierce bow to the teacher and stormed out into the emptied hallways but stopped once she reached the abnormally wide, marbled staircase that led to _the lobby_. God, who was she kidding? It was _their lobby_. Just like it was _the Fatal Four's shool!_

It was like her body could no longer contain the anger she felt and, finally at her wits end because she'd have to tell her _mother_ about today, Botan slammed her foot down and let her bag hit the ground after it.

"What an awful place this is! I didn't want to _walk through fire_ to get my dream!" Tears of anger filled her eyes as she yelled to the gods that must have abandoned her today. "I want to _help people_! I've worked so hard to get here to be the _best_! Not deal with that _unbearable_, _insufferable_ group of _babied teenagers!_ The day they're considered my seniors, I swear... I'd... I'd rather shave my head than call them anything of the sort!"

Before she could make any further protests to whatever being would listen, a silken sounding laughter caught her attention. That voice tone... _God no_...

When she felt that there was no longer cement keeping her legs from moving, Botan turned around to face the cheerful green eyes that mocked her. It wasn't a surprise to see them, or the gorgeous red hair that framed the young man's face, but it definitely was shocking to see that he'd picked up her bag and was now offering it to her. Wait- his mouth was moving. Shit. He was talking; her skin crawled.

"I didn't hear you, what?" She quickly swiped her bag before he could terrorize her some way with it.

"I cannot say I'm surprised, I couldn't hear either over such an intense outburst coming from the hallway-"

"Wait," she snapped, cutting him off," you _heard _that?"

Kurama was sure she'd become three shades paler after asking. He smiled warmly as though they were old friends. "It would be rather hard not to, I'm afraid."

"..._All_ of it?"

He sighed and looked away for a moment. "From an awful place, to how insufferable and babied of a teenager I am, and even walking through the fire to achieve your dream." Emerald held pink in an intense gaze. "Though I'm entertained by the idea of how you'd look with a shaved head, I cannot deny my interest in your dream. What is it?"

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to eavesdrop?" She slung the backpack into it's proper position and started to head down the stairs, done with this humiliation, until a hand held onto her wrist firmly. "Hey-!"

His gaze left _no_ room to argue. It was cold, hard, and terrifying all at once.

"I cannot help how you believe you think you can so easily read people, but what I can do is paint something quite clear for you, Botan. It's no matter to me what you say about Yusuke, Hiei, Kuwabara, or anyone else in this school- but you will not speak of my mother. You don't know anything about her."

Botan let out a shakey breath, her stomach pinched in fear? No... this was guilt. But why? Mental images of her own hardworking, single mom filled her head, and putting that with how _she'd_ felt when people spread rumors of how her super-mom slept with the principle to get her daughter into the school...

"I'm sorry," her tone was soft and genuine. It kind of threw her off, heck, even the redhead's hold eased a bit on her wrist. Really he'd expected more of a fight, not this. Botan, on the otherhand, knew that at any moment he'd be punishing her like he promised earlier...

These people were cruel, and she might have had a case earlier for him being unjust about sitting under a tree but now... she'd crossed a line and she _knew_ it.

"Is someone coming to pick you up?"

"No." Damn! She should have lied, it could have saved her! "I mean, kind of. Yeah. I took the... bus."

"Wait here." Yup, there it was. The Fatal Four member turned and walked towards the fourth door on the left in the hallway, no doubt getting paint or something to dump on her.

It'd only make sense just to get this over with. At least, she thought in comfort, at least nobody was arround to see the humiliation she was about to endure. Crap... he was taking forever though. Or was it forever? Botan knew time went slower when you were scared or something. Ugh, she couldn't face it!

Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable to happen. Where the crap was all that anger when she needed it?!

Footsteps approaching her made her body tense, the young girl bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. 

"What on earth are you doing...?"

". . .Huh?" Peeping one eye open she realized a black motorcycle helmet, with the tiniest red rose sticker on the back, was being handed to her.

"I understand the hesitation, but could you please take this? I need to put my hair up, unless you want it whipping into your eyes." Shuichi's stare frightened her and she took the helmet hastily. True to what he'd said, the young man bent down and scooped his hair together trying to make a ponytail.

It wasn't that he'd stared at her cruelly, much like he had a few moments ago, but they were... unpredictable. Botan couldn't tell what they would show her, she couldn't tell what to expect from him, and that caused great fear in her.

That's how things felt before her dad left.

"Why..." She trailed off, but Shuichi's full attention was now on her as he pulled a hairtie from his pocket. "Why are you doing this?"

He stared at her, analyzing her with his eyes as though he was only just now _really_ seeing her for the first time, then he smirked. "I'm not entirely sure myself. Maybe it's because I need to find a punishment to suit you after studying your behavior, or maybe it's because you're contemplating shaving your hair off entirely. It could be many things, but I'm sure, either way, you would not enjoy whatever answer I provided you with, now would you, miss Botan?"

"After today? No."

His laughter echoed through the lobby as he started making his way down the stairs, which she clumsily followed him in a rush, holding his helmet to her chest. Something about how unpredictible he was obviously confused her but it was also fascinating... _annoying_, and made her feel like he certainly called all the shots.

When they'd gone out the building and Botan finally caught sight of his very expensive- _very fast_- looking motorcycle, she felt as though her poor nerves could take no more. She shook her head quickly.

"Look, Shuichi, I appreciate this... whatever this is you're doing, but I really can just take the bus home because my mom is expecting me," she lied, speaking so quickly it was like another language with how her words molded together. He just smiled all the way through this, the jerk. "She hates motorcycles since our cat got hit by one, and-"

Regardless of what she was spewing the Fatal Four member lifted himself onto the motorcycle- same as everyday- and waited for her to finish, until that last part. He couldn't help but laugh again. "Really? Your cat?"

"What? Yes! Haven't you been listening to anything else though?"

"No, not really."

"Why?" She bit the inside of her cheek...

"Because you're lying."

Shit. "How would you even know if I was?"

Leaning forward he rested his elbow on the handlebar and leaned his chin into the palm of that hand, eyes dancing in amusement. The smug asshole! "I would assume you wouldn't be able to say something about a beloved cat so matter of factly, but also another problem with you entering this school was that you had the issue of mostly living in your house _alone_, I'm to understand. So the schoolboard was very hesitant to let you in, what with you being so young and without a guardian most of the time. Cats are also very pesky animals, without any amount of cat hair on your uniform to speak of I really can only assume you're lying. Unless you'd care to call me a deceiver, yourself?"

Botan stared at him in disbelief. Had he really just talked _that much_? Forget that, what really bugged her... "How did you know that about-"

"Oh look," he spoke in a bored, matter-of-fact tone," I see your bus is passing by your stop. I'm not someone to ride that, but I believe the next one will not be here for another forty-five minutes. Which..." Shuichi checked his watch," is after you'll be told to wait outside of the gates, as the school will be closed, and you'll be forced to wait, a young beautiful student, in the dark. A pervert's dream, don't you believe?"

The young girl's mouth hung open before she smacked him on the shoulder, unable to contain her anger any longer. "You planned this, didn't you?!"

"Truly, I don't know what you mean." Of course he'd be blessed with a perfect smile. Beauty was evil and deceiving in this place. "Please, put the helmet on and I'll take you home, it's the best out of all the options you have at the moment."

Glaring at him she put on the damned helmet and climbed onto the motorcycle, squeeling when Shuichi brought the engine to life. "This is only because I don't want to be on the newpaper in the missing section tomorrow!"

"I will not argue on that. Hang on!" With that they were off.

Though Shuichi had displayed wild behavior in gym class, it most definitely did not reflect anywhere in his demeanor now nor in his driving skills. When Botan thought motorcycle- she thought danger. Well... mainly because her mother told her horror stories about bikes, but still... The bluenette hugged onto him tightly, scared she'd fall off some how, but the young man smelled of roses. It had a calming effect on her but did not still the questions that popped up in her mind. This just didn't make any sense to her. Why was he doing this?

"Hey!" She yelled over the engine at the next red light they hit. "Why were you there after school today?"

He turned his head to the side so she'd hear him. "It certainly wasn't for punishment," Shuichi teased," but I run a lot of after school clubs-" The light turned green before he could finish.

After school clubs? He _lead _them? Gosh, they must've been something intense though, like how to stare a business man down and make him beg- Shuichi was great at that, it seemed. Or maybe it was a fighting club! Keiko said his hair used to be silverish white and that he'd been quite wild prior to Erylbridge...

Botan never got her answer though. With so much mystery hanging around him already, it seemed the redhead wasn't going to break the pattern. Once they'd reached her and her mother's apartment building he just took the helmet, accepted her thanks, and drove off- much more intensely and much faster than when she'd been riding with him.

Today had been hell though, and she'd been damned if she let that group of young men ruin her evening at home too! When she got to her apartment it was the same routine it'd always been- feed the very-much-alive cat, check for messages on the answering machine, cook dinner, take a bath, and then skype her mother. Botan left out all the negative details, not wanting to worry her hardworking mom.

They talked about how her trip was so far, if the weather was nice, and the girl made sure to divert the attention away from herself. If her mom pried too much Botan would surely start crying and spill the beans. Thankfully, her mother said 'good night' soon.

Keiko appeared to be online though, Botan smiled and typed up an IM.

{Hey, it's Botan...}

|Oh, hey! I was just about to go to bed lol|

{Yeah, same here...} She bit her lip unsure if she should tell Keiko. Then again, her friend was probably the only one who'd understand. {You'll never guess what happened after school}

|What? Did Mr. Cooper make you do something awful?|

{No, no. It wasn't anything like that! /SHUICHI/ drove me home... Like made me miss the bus and .home.}

|What?! ….. Seriously?|

{Yeah. I was scared he was going to /kill/ me after gym today, but all he did was laugh at me... Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm off the hook yet with him, but still... weird, right?}

|Definitely weird... Botan, I don't think anyone's heard him laugh or anything.|

{Wait, what? Keiko, seriously?} Botan's confusion intensified, which worried her because she still had homework to be focusing on... Crap!

|Yeah. He's a complete robot at school.|

{Strange...} A few moments passed by and the bluenette suddenly felt insecure. Hopefully she hadn't annoyed her only friend here.

|Hey Botan, I'm sorry, I've got to go do my homework then get to bed. Dad just came up to check on me.|

{Oh! Of course lol go right ahead, I've got to hit the books too :P}

|Haha right? Good night, girl!|

{Good night!}

Botan shut the computer down and then focused- as best she could- on her homework. All her mind could bring up though was Shuichi, those green eyes, soft laugh, and the smell of roses. He was a complete mystery. Hadn't he said that she was reading people wrong or something earlier?

What if he wasn't all that bad? She bit her bottom lip in thought before smiling. No matter how nasty the other three had been- mostly Yusuke- Botan couldn't help but get a squirming, happy feeling inside of her over the fact she'd gotten a ride home with one of the most seriously gorgeous guys she'd ever met. When you put the facts aside, it was definitely awesome to daydream about...

Closing her books, with a newfound energy, the student turned the light off and snuggled down into her bed. In spite of all the bad that'd happened today at school, she'd met Keiko who already seemed like such a lovely new friend and found out Shuichi might not be all that bad! A happy sigh spilled from her lips.

Tomorrow was going to be _much _better, she was sure of it.

If only she knew how entirely incorrect her assumptions were...

* * *

Sorry this chapter was kind of cut short- I had a lot I wanted to put in there, so scenes were drawn out a bit longer than I'd intended for them to be, but they definitely _needed_ to be that way. Think of this as like the building block for absolute chaos... of what, exactly?

Well, you'll find out in about three or four days. ((:

PLEASE REVIEW and let me know how you're liking this, what you're excited about, didn't like, what assumptions you have, etc. ;P

Thank you for reading3


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